Traditionally, network functions (e.g. firewalls, Load Balancers, Deep Packet Inspectors, Network Address Translators, diagnostic tools, IP-PBXs, traffic accelerators, etc.) have been provided as Physical Network Functions (PNFs) on dedicated hardware appliances that typically require physical installation at each site where such PNFs are needed.
Network Functions Virtualization is an emerging approach to transform network functions (NFs) previously performed via proprietary hardware appliances into Virtual Network Functions (VNFs). A network function (NF) is a functional building block within a network infrastructure, which has well-defined external interfaces and a well-defined functional behavior. In accordance with the Network Functions Virtualization approach, NFs can be implemented as application software which can be run on a range of standardized, high-volume servers, switches, and/or storage devices that can be located, for example, in datacenters, the customer premises or other network nodes out of data centers.
Architecture of telecom services based on Network Function Virtualization (NFV) is detailed, for example, in a series of documents published by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI).
Virtualization of NFs enables a standardized execution for VNFs and sharing of physical hardware by multiple VNFs. Implementing of Virtual Network Function decouples the software implementation of the network function from the infrastructure resources it runs on. Thereby, NF virtualization enables a much more flexible and dynamic network than a legacy communication network.
However, virtualization increases network management complexities. Among technical challenges to be addressed in management of the virtualized environment is ensuring the appropriate level of resilience of network function operation with regard to hardware and software failures. Such problems have been recognized in the conventional art and various techniques have been developed to provide solutions, for example:
US Patent Application No. 2014/0059379 discloses a system for proactive resource reservation for protecting virtual machines. The system includes a cluster of hosts, wherein the cluster of hosts includes a master host, a first slave host, and one or more other slave hosts, and wherein the first slave host executes one or more virtual machines thereon. The first slave host is configured to identify a failure that impacts an ability of the one or more virtual machines to provide service, and calculate a list of impacted virtual machines. The master host is configured to receive a request to reserve resources on another host in the cluster of hosts to enable the impacted one or more virtual machines to failover, calculate a resource capacity among the cluster of hosts, determine whether the calculated resource capacity is sufficient to reserve the resources, and send an indication as to whether the resources are reserved.
US Patent Application No. 2015/0089331 discloses methods and apparatus for detection and handling of virtual appliance failures. In one aspect, a method is implemented on a host platform on which a hypervisor (aka Virtual Machine Manager) and a plurality of virtual machines (VMs) are running, the plurality of VMs collectively hosting a plurality of Software Defined Networking (SDN) and/or Network Function Virtualization (NFV) appliances that are communicatively coupled via a virtual network. A software-based entity running on the host platform is configured to monitor the plurality of virtual network appliances to detect failures of the virtual network appliances. In response to detection of a virtual network appliance failure, messages containing configuration information are implemented to reconfigure packet flows to bypass the virtual network appliance that has failed.
US Patent Application No. 2016/0205518 discloses a system and method for elastic scaling using a container-based platform. An embodiment method includes triggering, by a service orchestrator, creation of one or more container instances for a first service cluster. The method further includes creating, by a container manager, the one or more container instances and mapping the one or more container instances of the first service cluster to one or more first virtual machines belonging to a first virtual machine server group in accordance with a platform profile of the first virtual machine server group and the first service provided by the first service cluster. The method further includes mapping, by a virtual machine manager, the one or more first virtual machines to one or more first host virtual machines of a cloud network in accordance with the platform profile of the first virtual machine server group.
The references cited above teach background information that may be applicable to the presently disclosed subject matter. Therefore the full contents of these publications are incorporated by reference herein where appropriate for appropriate teachings of additional or alternative details, features and/or technical background.